Healthy delivery: New bike biz arrives

Charlottesville now has one more bona fide reason to call itself a city and not a small town: We have our own bike courier service.

On Monday, June 21, 21-year-old bike enthusiast Kyle Rodland launched Fleetline Courier, bringing to fruition a dream he's had since last summer.

"It's like a run-of-the-mill courier service," says Rodland, "like in the big cities."

Rodland, who's studying music at PVCC and hopes to study American Sign Language beginning next year, says he believes there is a need for his services.

"It'll save people a lot of time and money between traffic and parking," he explains. "Everybody knows that parking in Charlottesville is not the easiest thing to do."

And, he says, the service he offers– not just deliveries, but running errands, shopping, and other chores– is politically correct.

"It will help promote local business because I'll use local shops instead of national chains," he says, citing copy shops in particular. As an added bonus for earth-lovin' clients, Rodland points out that bike deliveries are "environmentally friendly."

From the sound of it, the service will be wallet friendly as well. A one-way trip anywhere within city limits will cost $5; a round-trip is $8, and additional stops tack on $3 each.

Rodland says he'll work Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, and will make before- or after-hours deliveries for an additional fee.

And no matter what the job, Rodland says he can handle it.

"If I can carry it in my bag or on my back," he says, "it's going where it needs to go."

Fleetline Couriers can be reached at 960-3673

Kyle Rodland wants to make your deliveries by bike.PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO